One of mankind’s oldest sources of sweet pleasure, marzipan needs to contain only ground…

icing sugar, for dusting

2 tbsp warmed apricot jam

500g pack fondant icing sugar

Method

Tip the sugar, butter, dried fruit, whole cherries, ginger, orange zest and juice into a large pan. Pour over the rum, brandy or juice, then put on the heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring frequently to melt the butter. Reduce the heat and bubble gently, uncovered for 10 mins, stirring every now and again to make sure the mixture doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. Set aside for 30 mins to cool.

Stir the nuts, eggs and ground almonds into the fruit, then sift in the flour, baking powder and spices. Stir everything together gently but thoroughly. Your batter is ready.

Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Butter and line the base and sides of a 18cm square tin with baking paper. Spoon the cake mix into the tin and level the top with a spoon dipped into boiling water. Bake for 45 mins, then turn oven down to 140C/120C fan/gas 1 and cook for 1 hr more or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Will keep well-wrapped in foil for 2 months or freeze for 1 year.

Carefully cut the square cake in half and trim the edges so that you see the texture of the cake on all sides. Roll out each piece of marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar until the size of the top of each cake.

Generously brush the top of the cakes with jam, place jam-side down on top of the marzipan, then trim away the excess marzipan with a sharp knife.

Make up the fondant icing to a spreading consistency, then spread on top of the cakes so that it slightly runs over the edges. Top with cherries and holly, then leave to set. Will keep in a plastic container in a cool place for 4-7 days.

I made this last year and it was fantastic. For the luxury fruit I used up all the odd bits of dried fruit left over from other recipes (such as sour dried cherries, dried cranberries, dried pineapple, chopped apricots) and then topped up the quantity to 700g with other dried fruit. It was the best cake I have ever made I just wish I had taken a note of what fruits and exact weights of each one I used as I will never be able to re create it exactly!!!.I didn't Ice it we just ate it as a fruit cake to cut down on calories a bit.

A great recipe. This became my regular Christmas cake recipe a few years ago after I first tried it. I have also used the fruit cake, with different decoration, for birthdays. The cake is easy to make, moist and very fruity and the decoration is simple.

Like some other commentators, I find it takes a fair bit longer to cook than the recipe states (I can't say how much longer as I just keep testing and returning to the oven until it is cooked).

For me the most difficult part of making this recipe is getting the consistency of the icing just right so that it falls down the sides without running off the bottom of the cake. The advantage of having two cakes is that my second attempt is usually better than my first. I therefore display the better looking cake to my guests and slice and serve the other!

Excellent recipe you just can't go wrong with it..I left out pecan nuts but put in 100g of ground almonds as I don't like the crunch of nuts in my fruit cake I also added 100ml brandy. So good had to make two..

I have just made this cake for Christmas for ourselves and sister in law. Both cakes are already half gone, not sure they are going to make it to Christmas!!! Really nice, not too heavy and better to have slices rather than big wedges. Recommend it :-)

The cake recipe for this is lovely. I substituted the pecans for walnuts, which i chopped roughly (just because that's what I had in). I cooked it in 2 loaf tins and it turned out suberbly! Very proud of the result and the walnuts gave it lovely crunch every so often, without making it too crunchy. Will definately be keeping this recipe

Questions (2)

Hi finmason thanks for your question. We haven't tested baking this cake in 2 halves so cannot guarantee perfect results but you could try baking them at 150C for 30mins then reduce the temperature to 140C for the next 45 mins. Hope this helps, let us know how you get on.

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